


Persia Jackson: Egyptian Dreams

by FlammenTaenzerinSuzaku



Series: Persia Jackson Series [1]
Category: Ancient Egyptian Religion, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Mummy (1999), The Mummy Returns (2001)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Multiple Mytholories, Alternate Universe - female Percy, Demigod!Sally, F/F, F/M, Foursome - F/M/M/M, M/M, Minor Crossover to Catwoman, Multi, Threesome - F/F/F, many OCs - Freeform, mentioned rape
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2015-07-06
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:43:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlammenTaenzerinSuzaku/pseuds/FlammenTaenzerinSuzaku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Percy was a girl posing as a boy? </p>
<p>What if Luke knew? </p>
<p>What if Sally Jackson was more than just a mere mortal and Percy not only the daughter of Poseidon? </p>
<p>The truth is revealed when Percy is ignored for her sister.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Persia is ignored for her sister Helena, but a shocking revelation forces her to move to her mother's family - the gods of Egypt. Will Percy be able to deal with all that is happening? And what is this new prophecy about?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prolog: Child of two Cultures

**Author's Note:**

> I have uploaded this story already on Fanfiction.net and I wanted to reupload it here. It's already betad and all up to where I have written so far will be uploaded.

I have always known i was a demigod or at least a legacy. But, before I explain, I should introduce myself. 

 

My name is Persia Jackson, or Percy for short. I am the demigod daughter of Poseidon, but that I only found out when I was twelve. It was my origin from my mother's side of the family I was aware of.

 

My father didn't know, but my mom is a demigod. But not of the Greeks, no. My mom is the daughter of Isis, the Egyptian goddess of Magic and Motherhood, and the granddaughter of Thoth, the Egyptian god of wisdom. Which makes me a daughter of the gods of two cultures who I don't think like each other that much.

 

Anyway, when I was five, my mom explained to me my Egyptian heritage and the dangers it will bring. So she asked me to behave and look like a boy. I can't imagine how it must have pained her to fear for my virginity to be taken. Not even my father knew and still don't knows about me being a girl. 

 

The reason she explained to me is, because I had to train the magic I inherited from my grandmother and to start learning hieroglyphs and the common language of the ancient Egypt. She said I had to start early to learn it through my dyslexia but now I know I had to learn it for a longer time, because my brain was hardwired on ancient Greek and a little bit on Egyptian. 

 

Mom always told me stories about the Greek gods and about the Egyptian gods. Maybe I should have payed more attention to it when I was younger, I guess. It was safe for me to know about my Egyptian origin because unlike the Greek side of my blood, I did not attracted monsters by knowing about it.

 

I was quite happy through my life thanks to my mother – she really made my grandmother proud, she was the mother everyone wished to have – but there was one thing I was asking myself now that the war with Kronos was ended. How would my father have treated me if he knew that I was his very first demigod daughter?


	2. Chapter 1: Helena and a Prophecy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by the lovely Mrs.Kkitsune on FF.net

The end of my stay in Camp Half-Blood began with my sixteenth birthday and the end of the war.

It began with my request to the gods.

I always thought that I was the only child that my father had sired since the oath, but it turned out to be different. I had a sister. The now so called "first daughter of the sea". Everyone knew the prophecy that the oracle had made during the time Perseus killed Medusa. It told of the birth of the first daughter of Poseidon and that she would carry with her great changes. Well that's _fantastic_. Now, Helena- it wasn't hard to guess who she was named after- was treated like royalty within the camp.

It was Triton who told me about the prophecy. I had visited father's palace after one particularly bad day, Helena had found the only Egyptian object that I had with me and had demanded I would give it to her.

It was a golden comb with Egyptian decoration I got for my fifteenth birthday from my grandmother, her husband and my two uncles, everything on my mother's side of course. I could only use it once in a while, but it grows out my hair a little over my shoulders and masks my Greek demigod scent for twenty-four hours if I wore it until the comb had to recharge for one moon phase, it wasn't until the next full moon that I would be able to use it again. They had given it to me so that I could go out for a movie or dinner as myself. Just Persia the Egyptian legacy, not Percy the Greek demigod. It was a blessing, and I treasured it.

When she had threatened to snap it in half with the fancy trident that father had given her, I had slapped her. Hard.

Anyway, the reconstructions on the palace after the fight against Oceanus were going well, and I could see Triton organize the workers Dad was busy on Olympus, from what I knew. The Throne room had already been finished, so when Triton had spotted me wandering around Olympus, he grabbed me and showed me the finished product.

* * *

_"How are the reconstructions going?" I asked. It seemed to me to be a good way to start the conversation._

_"They're good so far, but they could be a lot better." He said. "The workers have been anxious since starting their work. The war has not been kind to any of us." His gaze shifted over the destruction still left behind then he looked back at me. "Oceanus had a secret weapon. A poison, for gods. Not strong enough to kill our father, but... my mother was lost." Oh no._

_"Oh my... I'm so sorry!" I said shocked. "I might have not liked her very much but... I- I know how it feels like, to lose your mother." I shivered at the memory of the pain I felt at the loss of my mother during my first summer at camp. It wasn't a pleasant thought._

_"Thank you for your concern" Triton said quietly. I could see the pain in his eyes. It must be even more painful for him than it had been for me, after all his mother had been around for much, much longer than mine._

_"How is dad coping with it?" I asked and looked up at him. I could only imagine how he must have suffered upon hearing the news. I was still hurting from Luke's death, even if I had to hide it._

_"He is... torn, for lack of a better word." He said and picked up an green sea shell only to drop it after a moment. "He has been with her for thousands of years, no matter how often he was otherwise occupied." He glanced at me while he said that. "And he loved her, nonetheless. But on the other side of the spectrum, he can finally claim more of his mortal children."_

_"There are more?" I asked perplexed. I had thought I was the only child he had sired after the oath. Until Helena had arrived at camp._

_"At least the new one at the camp." Triton grumbled but then cleared his throat. "That brings me to a question my mother and I wanted to ask you since you were in the palace last."_

_We had stopped on the steps leading to the throne room, and I looked up at him. He was still taller than me. What could he want? What had Amphitrite wanted to ask me?_

_"When are you going to tell father that you are his first daughter?"_

_I stopped dead in my tracks, the question hitting me like a ton of celestial bronze. How did he know that? I mean, I've acted like I always have..._

_"What do you mean by that?" I asked nervously. "You know I'm a boy." Please, please let it work, I thought._

_"My mother could feel the sea in you, but it was different from father's other half-blood children, Orion or Theseus. She had described it as 'different' and 'more complex'. She said it's a 'woman-thing' which is why neither father nor I sensed it. She talked to me about it before she died. She would accept the fact that you are the proof of father's disloyalty, because the prophecy is finally going to come true." He explained and continued to look at me._

_"What prophecy?" I asked, shocked. I really didn't want to be part of another prophecy. The great prophecy had been enough._

_"It had been told by one of the first oracle of Delphi. Father wouldn't stop talking about it. What were it's words again...?" Triton said and tried to remember the prophecy, brow furrowed in concentration._

_"For the first time since the earth was made,_

_not equipped with a celestial blade,_

_a female half-blood of sea shall fight,_

_magic and knowledge on her side._

_She shall end an ancient dispute,_

_and change the world to it's very root."_

_He recited and looked at me expecting. I swallowed hard and then sighed. Oh, why do the fates hate me so much? I have neither offended them nor have I offended Hemsut, the Egyptian goddess of fate._

_"I... Yes, you're... right..." I said with a little hesitation. "But you can't tell anyone. Please. It might draw more danger to me than what has already been thrust upon my shoulders." I shuddered as I thought about what had happened not even a month before the fight. It was the moment I felt the most valuable, the most... female._

_"Do not fear, sister" He said and – I must be hallucinating – the side of his lip twitched upward at the last word. "I have watched father's other daughter-" He spat it out like an insult. "-in camp, ever since father knew it was going to be a girl. He visited her sometimes, gave her and her mother generous gifts and long story short he spoiled her rotten. You would think she is our uncle's child – Zeus I mean – where many had a tendency to be quite arrogant."_

_"I know... And the worst thing is... I can't even blame him that much." I sighed again. "I mean, if we were in his position, wouldn't we act the same?" I glanced at the doorway. "I should probably return to camp. Not that Chiron or anyone panicked about me being missing."_

_"Before you go, I wish to show you something." Triton said and led me to a space behind father's throne. It was hidden from prying eyes, but still not locked away. There was a small pedestal, decorated with sea shells, fish, and waves. On top of it laid a beautiful crown, made of gold._

_The front part was decorated with a decorated with an upward tilted crescent moon. In it's middle was a large clear diamond a little under the diamond was a circular purple stone. The whole crone was decorated with dolphins, stars and flowers. Under the sides and front part were little white pearls dangling down._

_"It's beautiful!" I gasped and came closer. The diamond on the front seemed to emit a wisp of light, and when I came nearer, it shone a little brighter. "Why are you showing me this, Triton? Isn't it your mother's crown?"_

_"No," He smiled. "It's yours."_

_"Mine?!" I sputtered. "I have never been given a crown, much less such... such a beautiful one. You must be wrong."_

_"Father had ordered to have it made for the first princess of the sea. For the first, and only for her. Once she was crowned it should be able to transform into a trident in case she was attacked and without weapons. So, it is yours." He explained. "Father is planing to crown the spoiled brat once she turns sixteen, which is in about two years. I can't wait to see when the crown rejects her."_

_"Why did you show it to me?" I asked quietly. I was itching to just take the crown and place it on my head. Just once._

_"If you want father to recognize you as his daughter, this crown will be all the proof that will be needed. You can explain it to him and demand to put on the crown. It will react to you and you only." Triton said and smiled again at me. "Now, off you go. It is quite a way back to camp."_

* * *

A hippocampi brought me back to the camp where I had to face the inquisition.

No, seriously. Helena had bitched to everyone that I slapped her for nothing and now the whole camp started to think I was jealous of her and all such a crap. I was really starting to miss my mom even more than ever. In this moments I just wanted to hug her, tell her everything and cry for all that is worth.

After Helena had tried to take it, I carried my magical comb wherever I went. I had seen that Helena had taking a liking in it and wanted to have it. And she was used to get what she wanted. Some of the others started to treat me differently than before. Since Helena was so 'special' the others wanted to please her and listened to her and believed her no matter what she said.

For the first time since my arrival in camp, I couldn't await the end of summer. Helena was going to stay all year but I would return home. I had for once wanted to stay in camp for the year but with her, I would go insane or murderous towards Helena. Probably the latter. With the reactions of the others towards Helena I felt more alienated than I ever did in my time before camp.

Some still were on my side. Surprisingly one of them was Clarisse. She did not believe everything my 'sister' said and actually defended me. For once she talked to me more than ever and ranted about the stupidity of the campers. I had found a friend in her I never expected to find and I suspected that she knew that I kept a major secret.

What really shocked me was that Annabeth had, after I told her I only felt for her as a sister, started to hang out with Helena. It was funny, that they misinterpreted the prophecy that much. They thought the lines " _magic and knowledge on her side_ " meant that Helena would fight together with a child of Athena and a child Hecate, so Annabeth wanted to be this child. It seemed she still wanted to please the gods so much she wanted to help fulfill the prophecy.

I wanted to see their faces once they found out that it meant that a daughter of the sea would also be related to gods of magic and knowledge from other cultures. But they'll never know. I'll keep my true gender a secret until the day it's necessary. I really didn't want to be part of yet another prophecy.

When we were instructed to leave our cabin empty if we were to leave camp to go home and leave a note if we wanted to stay, I packed _all_ of my stuff, even the things I usually left at camp. I would keep them near me in case Helena felt even more territorial then she already appeared to be and say she wanted to keep my things as hers.

Mom wanted to meet me at the top of Half-Blood Hill with Paul's Prius to take me home. I knew she missed me even more than in the past few years, because of the battle for Manhattan. During the fight, she and Paul had fought bravely. Heroically saving lives of sleeping mortals from fires, monsters, and falling debris. Unfortunately, Paul had been hit by a frost giant's club, and died in mom's arms.

"Percy?" Rachel stood beside me and looked at me with this look she had often had ever since she became the oracle. The look that said that she knew more than I did and that I would never know.

"Yes?" She shifted on her feet and I knew she knew something that even I did not know about myself.

"I just... wanted to say goodbye to you." She said, a deep sadness in her eyes.

"You'll see me next summer, or maybe next year." I told her, smiling.

"I will not." She mumbled and I realized what she meant. I wouldn't be in New York next year. I wouldn't return to camp.

"I..." I really was speechless. Where could I be next year?

"Will you write me?" She asked. I nodded. "Give my greetings to your grandmother."

_Of course! I will be in Egypt, in Ahm Shere._

"I will." I said smiling. "But please don't tell anyone if they don't ask. And then write me when they found out that I'm gone, okay?" She nodded and pulled me in a hug.

"I'll tell Nico and Clarisse that you're sorry, okay?" She said in my ear, and I sighed in relief. She had known what I had wanted to say.

"Thanks, Rachel. You're the best." I said and then sprinted up to my mother. I said goodbye to some campers and waved to Rachel before I sat in the car.

Mom hugged me before she started the car and asked if I was alright. I told her what happened at camp but I left out my talk to Rachel. she looked in the mirror at me, concerned. I could see she wanted to know exactly why they did what they did.

"Let's go home, Mom."


	3. Museum and Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Betad by the lovely Mrs. Kitsune on FF.net

It was strange to live at home without Paul. Mom would sit at the table as if she were expecting him to walk in through the door, hanging up his jacket and putting his keys away, saying hello. She couldn't write her book anymore, she just couldn't bring one thought to paper.  
  
I still haven't told her about Rachel's semi-prophecy. I didn't want to scare or confuse her in any way with knowing it. If Rachel was right, she wouldn't be because Mom knew. It would be no self-fulfilling prophecy.  
  
I often wondered why we would move to Ahm Shere. Mom hadn't been there since she was a small child, since before her parents died. You see, her father, Jared Jackson was a son of Thoth while his wife was barren. Isis, when she desired to have a child, choose a couple with a barren woman and – similar to Athena with her children of thoughts – placed her very essence in the woman to enable her to get pregnant. The woman would not share the child's genes but she gave birth to the child and would still be the child's mother. That was mostly enough for her. This happened to Linda Jackson.  
  
If dad had known that mom was a child of Isis he would have known that I was a girl, instantly. Well, if he knew of the origin of Isis powers, that is. Since she was the goddess of motherhood, her daughters were made to be mothers. If she had a daughter, they would inherit these powers and since demigods passed down their own powers to their children- if they had any, the chances for a daughter of Isis to get a daughter herself was very, very high.  
  
We were sitting together eating breakfast when I made a move to try and cheer mom up a bit. I fingered the comb in my pocket and thought about a place she would like to go to, but what wouldn't remind her of Paul. They went to a few restaurants and cafes and to a few musicals. They had also planned on going to a writing course, to the movie theater and to some photo gallery. So that left some places she would still want to go.  
  
My gaze shifted to the folded news papers on the counter. It took several moments for my dyslexic eyes to read a small head line on the side of the page. _ _New Egyptian Museum Opening!__

__Ding__ , we have a winner. That would be great to go to.  
  
"Hey mom?" I asked and she looked at me tiredly. "How about we go to this new Egyptian museum? It would be funny to see what mistakes they make in the translations, like the last time, don't you think?" I smiled at her.  
  
She thought a moment about it and the sides of her lips started to itch upward. The last time we were in an Egyptian museum, there was a text they said contained information about an unknown pharaoh, but in fact it was a recipe of some sort of cake the baker wanted to try. We had laughed so hard that we had to sit down.  
  
"Why not?" She said. "We haven't gone to a museum since the winter before you went to Yancy Academy. How about we go after lunch? I have to clean a bit and then I have time."  
  
"Okay."  
  
  


  
"Look at those statues!" Mom said, excited. "They were built during the time of Hatshepsut. You remember her, right? She was-"  
  
"- a daughter of Pharaoh Thutmose I and Hathor, who was in disguise of one of his queens. After her father's death his son, Thutmose II, became pharaoh and took her as his wife, because of an ancient tradition. Thutmose II died very early and upon his death his son from another wife became pharaoh. Since he was too young Hatshepsut ruled as his regent for six years, until she declared herself the pharaoh. She wore man's clothing and the traditional pharaoh's signs. Yes, I remember her. You told me about her when I was six and asked me this question at least three times." I said and grinned as mom blushed. Egypt was her home. And since her grandfather was the god of knowledge – at least Egyptian knowledge – she became like this when we visited a museum. Every single time. But I loved her, so it was okay.  
  
"Sorry, It's just so – oh, what's that?" Yes, even my mom has a few moments of ADHD sometimes. You see, Egyptian demigods have ADHD and dyslexia, too, but it is leveled down when they are outside of the Ancient borders of Egypt.  
  
Okay, I think I should explain the borders a bit. You know how there are different variations of the Creation of the world? Like Ptah created the world in the Egyptian mythology, God's creation of the world in the christian religion, the world's creation in the Greek mythology, and in Shinto mythology, the northern mythology and so on, you know what I mean. Anyway, you might believe that only one of them is the real one, but all are. At the beginning of time, before our earth was made like we know it now, many worlds were created by each god or entity.  
  
Then they decided one day to fuse the worlds to create one, the world we live in today. To prevent fights over the lands of another Culture, magical borders divide each of the former worlds. Keeping up this separation each Culture could have their one entity of each realm. The Sea, the Sky, the Earth and many, many more. Bit their powers were restricted to their own realm. So, if a Greek god crossed the borders of Egypt, he, or she, would be unable to use their powers. If they were lucky, they would have powers similar to demigods.  
  
If you remember that you will notice that if the god's powers are restricted to demigod-level, than the powers of the demigods are nearly non-existent. And, equal to that, the demigod-symptoms, if you want to call them that, are also leveled down. But, in case of my mother, if a demigod comes in close contact with an object of their culture the dyslexia and ADHD starts showing again.  
  
"Percy!" I was torn out of my thoughts when I mom called for me. "Look at this!" I jogged towards her and followed her pointing finger. My breath hitched. I had only heard from mom about her, but to actually see one of her texts was unbelievable. I recognized a certain sign in the upper right corner of the papyrus. Meskhenet was one of the most famous daughters of Hemsut, the goddess of fate. She could be considered the equivalent of the Oracle of Delphi. She could see what would happen to a person by touching them and sometimes she was blessed with great prophecies which she wrote down on papyrus. This was one of them.  
  
What did it say on the display? "Letter from Meskhenet, daughter of a writer of Pharaoh Khufu, to her father". I scanned the text and my eyes widened. This couldn't be a coincidence, right?  
  
 _ _"In a far away time when the gods' powers start to fade, a child shall be born. A daughter of Isis and of a mortal son of Thoth. But in a united land the son of Thoth shall perish with his wife, leaving their daughter behind. The daughter will grow and and beauty and kindness will come from her heart.__ _  
_ _ _She shall meet a man on the beach and a daughter shall bloom from their union of love. But the man is the sea for he is a god of Greek. He will leave unknowing that he was blessed with his first ever mortal daughter.__ _  
_ _ _The daughter of the sea will be disguised as male and conquering the Greek gods' foes, but for a price unwillingly paid. But the strongest foe shall rise again stronger than before with allies equal in strength. Six summers after the sea daughter's victory the last battle shall be held. She shall unite the gods of Greek and Egypt for the battle, but only if her will is might.__ _  
_ _ _Beware child of the Sea, for you shall train and fight while honoring and using your grandmother's origin starting from the first spring after your conquest."__  
  
My grandmother's origin? My grandmother is Isis, what has her origin have to do with this?  
  
"Percy, follow me." I heard mom say and I looked up to see her paled face. I hurried to follow her but she seemed to be in a great hurry. The only time I had seen her like this was when we were driving to Camp Half-Blood for the first time.  
  
We reached the restrooms and she pulled me into the small corridor dividing the doors to the "boy" and "girl" restroom. She started pacing for a few minutes and then turned to me with a serious expression.  
  
"Did you tell anyone your secret?" She asked quietly. I swallowed hard, not sure what to tell her. Yes, I did tell Luke when I first came to Camp Half-Blood. He got me pants and a shirt and left while I changed, but he burst back inside to bring me another shirt which was a little smaller and more my size while I was shirtless. During that time I might not have had the biggest breast, but still enough to need to bind them. So I had to explain it to him, but I made him swear not to tell anyone.  
  
"Percy, this is serious!" Mom said and I saw a sad glint in her eyes. What had she figured out from Meskhenet's letter?  
  
"One person knew", I said quietly. "Luke... had gotten me some cloths to change and went to get a smaller shirt for me. I was changing and he came back inside while I had my shirt off. He was suspicious. I trusted him and made him swear not to tell."  
  
"Did you like him?" She asked and I felt my cheeks warming in a blush.  
  
"I did." I said quietly. "But mom, what has it to do with Meskhent's letter?"  
  
"Percy..." She began and hugged me. I could feel her heart beating hard against her chest as she lowered her mouth to my ear to speak no louder than a breath. "Percy, when was the last time you had your period?"  
  
My body went ice cold. No... it can't be... I had my period just two weeks ago, right? _ _Right?!__  
  
"I...It was... It can't... I don't know..." I stuttered and my breath hitched. My grandmother's origin. Isis was the goddess of motherhood.  
  
I might be a mother.  
  
  


  
"Percy..." Mom said, as she handed me a cup of hot milk with honey, it was one of the things that calmed me down as a child and it still did. We went home right after our talk by the bathrooms. "When did you... sleep with him?" I was running my fingers over the cup and tried to keep my thoughts off of that night. Before I started to speak I pulled my magical comb out of my pocket and placed it in my hair. I felt it's magic wash over me, hiding my from any prying Greek god.  
  
"Mom, do you remember the night a month before my birthday, when I was out to watch a movie and came back in the morning?" I asked and watched her nod. "I was on my way home after the movie... I... I took a shortcut to get home earlier, but when I was in an alley, I was grabbed and pushed against a wall... It... I... I was shocked... My scent should have been hidden from the gods, the monsters... but he knew and it didn't work on him..." I stopped and squeezed my eyes shut. In front of my eyes I saw him again.  
  
"Who, honey?" Mom asked as gently as possible and pulled me in an embrace.  
  
"..." I was silent at first but I knew I needed to deal with it. "It... it was... Kronos." Mom's breath hitched and she let go of me to look into my face. "When... When he did it I... I prayed to grandmother's magic to make me see only Kronos, not Luke... It was like the mist... It worked..."  
  
"How did he know?" She asked and I bit my lip. "Was it because Luke was his vessel? You didn't tell me much about it, but let me guess, okay? Since he was in Luke's body he also had access to Luke's mind and memory. And when he discovered you were a girl he came for you and..." Her eyes were full with tears and I hugged her as she broke down. It came all crashing down now. The war (even after my bath in the styx she was terrified I could die), fighting in Manhattan, losing Paul and now discovering I was... _ _r-raped__ , was too much for her. She cried in my shoulder and I could only hold her while tears ran down my own cheeks.  
  
Once she had calmed down she took a few deep breaths and cleaned her face from tears with a tissue. She mentioned to me to follow her and we went to the bathroom where she opened a storage cabinet and pulled out three small packages. As she handed them to me I recognized the content from the picture on it rather than the name. It were pregnancy tests.  
  
"Mom, I-" I started, but she raised a hand.  
  
"To check if I'm mistaken or not. They were..." She blushed slightly. "Paul and I had been thinking about having a baby. We wanted to talk about it with you at first, but I had already bought the tests." I pulled her in a hug. I could have had a little sister.  
  
Mom explained to me how the pregnancy tests worked and left me alone to use them. I thought back to Rachel and what she told be. Maybe this was the reason for out departure. I was deep in thoughts when I used the tests and set them aside to wait for three minutes.  
  
Would Zeus try to kill the baby for being Kronos child? Most likely.  
  
Would Hades or Dad do the same? Maybe, each of them hated their father and they had been the ones he had eaten.  
  
I glanced at my watch.

  
  


__Two minutes and forty-five seconds left.__  
  
Would the child look like Kronos or like Luke? I imagined a small baby boy with my black hair and Luke's blue eyes or a baby girl with blond hair and my sea-green eyes. Mom could give me things from when I was a baby or I could buy new ones or even try to make some myself.  
  
 _ _Two minutes left.__  
  
I imagined having the baby in my arms while standing in the water on Montauk and showing it to Dad, Triton, and surprisingly Amphitrite. They would hold it and it would wrap them all around it's finger, even Amphitrite would love it. I giggled.  
  
 _ _One minute and thirty seconds left.__  
  
Or being in Ahm Shere and playing with it in the gardens, in an area where beautiful moonlace was planted and standing in full bloom. More children would come and play with us.  
  
 _ _One minute left.__  
  
Or I imagined visiting Calypso with my baby and bringing her some plants from the Gardens of Hathor, the Egyptian goddess of beauty, love, dance and music. We would plant them together and Calypso would play with my baby. Gods, I missed her.  
  
 _ _Thirty seconds left.__  
  
Maybe grandmother could change the baby's father. Make Luke the dominant father and Kronos the dormant. If she can't, Dad and the other gods could never find out.  
  
 _ _Fifteen seconds left.__  
  
Would I be a good mother? I mean, I'm only grandmother's legacy, not a daughter, so would I inherit her natural motherhood?  
  
 _ _Time.__  
  
I took a few deep breaths to calm down and with closed eyes I picked up the first test. After another deep breath I opened my eyes and looked down.  
  
 _ _Positive.__  
  
I swallowed and quickly picked up the next test.  
  
 _ _Positive__ _._  
  
I picked up the next, feeling nauseous.  
  
 _ _Positive.__  
  
All three tests were positive. I'm pregnant.  
  
"Percy, honey, are you finished?" Mom called from behind the door and I was quick to open it. She looked at me worried and I wrapped my arms around her, seeking support.  
  
"All tests were positive." I said, my voice shaking slightly. "I'm pregnant, mom. I'm having a baby." Mom wrapped her arms around me and held me tight.  
  
"Percy," she said in my hair. "We will have to go. No matter what we say, Zeus will kill the child and most importantly they will find out that you are a girl. We will need to find a fast way to get to Egypt. Within the Borders you will be safe."  
  
"Okay."

  
  


  
We divided the work we needed to do equally. Mom searched for a way for me to get fast to Egypt without flying and organized everything concerning out apartment and my school, while I was packing what we would be taking with us and also thought of ways for our transport.  
  
When I saw the old Communication Mirror grandmother once gave mom, I asked her if I could give it to someone who knew and I wanted to stay in contact with. Of course I had to tell her about my meeting with Triton first, but then she agreed and let me drive to the beach and then swim to father's palace. Surprisingly, Triton was awaiting me a bit outside of the palace.  
  
"The news you were on your way traveled fast, little sister." He grinned and I knew he enjoyed calling me that.  
  
"I wanted to give you something." I said and took the mirror out of my bag. "It's a Communication Mirror. My grandmother made it. I... Mom and I will move away and I will not be able to visit for a long time, so I wanted to give it to you to keep in contact." The mirror was circular and supported by two snakes which were connected to a round stand. The colors were mostly gold, dark blue and red.  
  
"Thank you." Triton said, smiling. "How could your grandmother, I assume it's your mother's mother, make this mirror? And where do you move to? I could try to visit."  
  
"Do you swear not to tell anyone?" I asked nervously. I wasn't wearing my comb right now. "It could be dangerous if someone finds out."  
  
"I swear on the river Styx not to tell anyone what you tell me." He said and I gulped.  
  
"My grandmother... is an Egyptian goddess" I whispered quietly. "Isis, goddess of magic and motherhood. And we are moving to Egypt. Something came up that Lord Zeus cannot find out about under any circumstances." He looked at me with surprise written all over his face. I think I broke him.  
  
"Triton?" I asked and waved my hand in front of his face. He blinked a few times and then sighed heavily. "Little sister, you really have the most rotten luck. Did you offend the fates or something?" That could be a possibility.  
  
"Don't know," I smiled sadly. "I already have to go. We have to find a way to get there fast without anybody noticing."  
  
"Hm... ask Apollo" Triton suggested. "As I know him he will already know your secret, he is the god of prophecies after all. And he just knows things. With his chariot, or car, whatever form it has, you will be there in the blink of an eye." That could actually be a good idea.  
  
"Thank you for the advice." I said. "Oh and could you send this to Dad or Chiron once they notice we are gone?" I handed him Riptide with a bit of a heavy heart. I had used it for four years now and it was the only balanced sword I had. But in Egypt I would use different weapons and Riptide wouldn't feel balanced anymore.  
  
"Very well." Triton said. "By the way, before you go, you haven't told me how to use the mirror."  
  
"Oh! Sorry." I said and then I pointed at the small cartouche on the base. "Do you see the cartouche? You have to touch it with your finger and think about the person you want to talk to. If the person is near such a mirror, your face will appear in it, but if not your face will appear on a reflecting surface. Can be quite funny to talk to a face on a spoon. To stop the connection, you just "wash" with your hand once over the surface. I would advise you to put it in the moonlight for one night to 'recharge' the magic inside, but I think you will have to find another way for that. You just have to put some energy inside. Or wait for one month to naturally 'recharge'."  
  
"Okay" He said slightly skeptical. Then he drew me in a warm hug. "I'll miss you, little sister."  
  
"I'll miss you, too, big brother." I whispered and he drew back looking at me surprised. "Contact me no later than next month, okay?"  
  
  


  
After my talk to Triton I told mom about his idea and she agreed. Apollo would already know about my secret, so we could just ask him for help. I IMed him and he agreed to help us. Just as expected, he already knew and said yes and gave us a time he would get us, before I could even ask the question.  
  
"Don't worry, Percy!" Apollo said as we loaded our things in the car. "The earliest time dad and the others will find out is next summer when you will not come to camp and then I will tell them _ _nothing__. I promise."  
  
"Thank you" I said. "But I just wanted to ask, why are you helping us?"  
  
"You are our favorite demigod eh, demigoddess and it's the least I can do after you defeated Kronos and saved Artemis before that. It's a wonder she didn't notice." He said grinning and I was a bit taken aback. He was the god of the sun, after all.  
  
"We're ready!" Mom said as she closed the back door of the car and came to us. "Thank you once again, Lord Apollo."  
  
"No problem." He said, still grinning. "You know, you are the first Egyptian demigoddess I've met who isn't out for our blood. We aren't on good terms, if you recall."  
  
"Yes, but since the resurrection of the Scorpion King many demigods ask themselves if it's worth it, but don't really try to make any change. And since I grew up in the States, I'm not that prejudiced." Mom explained. "But I think we should get going now."  
  
"Right, in the sun chariot, you two."  
  
We got in the chariot, which took the shape of a very nice car, and Apollo started driving. It still took some time to reach Egypt, so we still had to wait, which was really horrible.  
  
"You said something about the resurrection of some Scorpion King. What's the story behind that?" Apollo asked and mom took the opportunity to chase away the boredom.  
  
"Part of the story actually happened ten years before the resurrection, in 1926 the librarian Evelyn Carnahan and her brother Jonathan get the adventurer and former soldier Rick O'Connall out of prison where he was sentenced to be hanged and was actually already hanging. Rick knew the way to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead where Evelyn wanted to find the Book of Amun-Ra, which was made of pure gold. It contained the most powerful of all ancient Egyptian spells. In Hamunaptra a group of Americans found the Book of the Dead instead in the statue of Anubis. Like the Book of Amun-Ra, the Book of the Dead contained ancient spells but they had the purpose of mainly reviving the dead.  
  
"In the night a group called the Medjai attacked the camp in the hope of scaring them into leaving Hamunaptra. They were given the ultimatum of leaving before sundown the next day or they would all die. Evelyn, Jonathan, and Rick had found a sarcophagus under the same statue the book was found in. With a special key they opened the sarcophagus and Evelyn concluded that he had been sentenced to the Hom-Dai, the worst of all ancient Egyptian curses. The cursed is mummified alive and cursed not only in this life, but also in the next.  
  
"The next night Evelyn stole the book from the Americans and opened it. She then read out an enchantment out loud and unintentionally revived the mummy, Imhotep. Due to being sentenced to the Hom-Dai he became an undead for all eternity, but if revived he would bring the ten plagues over the lands, gain the power over the sand while being blessed with invincibility.  
  
"The Americans had pulled a curse upon themselves by finding the book which forced Imhotep to kill each of them and gather their body fluids to regain his human and healthy looks. To cut the story short, Imhotep followed them to Cairo where they fled to and killed the cursed Americans. He had chosen Evelyn as a sacrifice to revive his lover Anck-Su-Namun who was the reason he was cursed. He captured her and took her to Hamunaptra with Rick, Jonathan and the leader of the Medjai Ardeth Bay on their heels.  
  
"They searched for and found the Book of Amun-Ra and Jonathan summoned an army of mummified soldiers, but Imhotep gained control over them because Jonathan only read a part of the incantation. Ardeth Bay distracted Imhotep's mummified servants, while Rick rescued Evelyn and Jonathan tried to finish the incantation to gain control. Jonathan then stole the key to the books from Imhotep and enabled Evelyn to read an incantation which took Imhotep's immortality. Rick then killed him and they fled from Hamunaptra." Mom told Apollo and I grinned slightly. It was one of the more frequently told stories she knew that actually happened in the last century.  
  
"Ten years later," Mom begun again, "in 1933 was the Year of the Scorpion, the only time the Scorpion King can be resurrected. Evelyn, who had married Rick and had a son, Alex, with him, started having strange dreams, which lead to her and Rick searching for the Bracelet of Anubis.  
  
"They returned to London with the bracelet, but a group lead by a man called Lock-Nah broke into the house to steal its chest and abduct Evelyn. Ardeth Bay came to their house to warn them that someone had found Imhotep's skeleton. He explained about how a woman named Meela Nais knew information no one living should know and about their intention of using Imhotep's power to kill the Scorpion King to gain control over the Army of Anubis. For this they would need the bracelet to lead them to Ahm Shere.  
  
"To their surprise Alex had put on the bracelet and had seen a vision of the first part of the way there. But with that he had triggered the seven days before the Scorpion King's resurrection. Imhotep was revived again and Meela turned out to be the reincarnation of Anck-Su-Namun. Ardeth and Rick managed to rescue Evelyn, but Alex was captured and forced to lead them to Ahm Shere.  
  
"Alex left them a trail of hints made of sand to guide them along the way. At the first station, in Karnac, Imhotep used a spell from the Book of the Dead to summon Anck-Su-Namun's soul from the underworld and in her reincarnation's body. During that process Evelyn, Rick, Jonathan and Ardeth were in a hand-made zeppelin of Izzy, an old friend of Rick, and Evelyn had visions from her past life. She was Nefretiri, daughter of Pharaoh Seti I, who was murdered by Imhotep and Anck-Su-Namun. It was what lead to their punishment. Evelyn remembered that she was the guardian of the Bracelet of Anubis. Ardeth told them he gathered all tribes of Medjai, but it were in fact all demigods of the former city of demigods who were able to fight.  
  
"When the O'Connals and Imhotep's group reached the Golden Pyramid of Ahm Shere Rick got the Bracelet off of Alex's arm before it could suck the life out of him, but he couldn't stop Anck-Su-Namun from stabbing Evelyn in the stomach, killing her. Rick went after Imhotep while Alex and Jonathan followed Anck-Su-Namun who had the Book of the Dead with her. They found her and revived Evelyn who fought using her knowledge as Nefretiri. During that time Ardeth and the demigods were fighting the Army of Anubis who was still under the Scorpion Kings control.  
  
"One of Imhotep's men woke up the Scorpion King and Imhotep prepared to fight him. Rick attacked him and they fought shortly, but they were interrupted by the Scorpion King's arrival. Imhotep, with his powers taken by Anubis, declared himself as the Scorpion King's slave, when he was attacking him.  
  
"On a wall Rick found pictures of a man with a sacred mark, the same one he also has. Ardeth told him it marks someone who is chosen to be a part of the Medjai, but he didn't tell, that only mortals were chosen directly by Sehkmet, the Medjai's patron goddess. The picture was of the man turning the Scepter of Osiris into a spear and using it to kill the Scorpion King.  
  
"Alex and Jonathan came in at that very moment and Jonathan had the scepter. Imhotep recognized it and interfered Jonathan from delivering the killing blow. He threw the spear at the Scorpion King, but Rick stopped it. The Scorpion King went to attack him, but the killed him with the spear, sending him into the underworld.  
  
"The pyramid and the jungle surrounding it were to be given back to Anubis so all crumbled away. Rick and Imhotep fell into rips on the floor leading into the underworld. Evelyn and Anck-Su-Namun had stopped their fight and Evelyn came to pull Rick back up. He and Imhotep were just hanging at the edge. Imhotep, seeing Rick being helped up, pleaded to Anck-Su-Namun to help him up, but the fled. Ironically, she then tripped and fell into a pit of scorpions.  
  
"Imhotep then let go and freely went to the underworld, since his reason to be reborn was gone. The O'Connals and Jonathan left the pyramid and climbed on the top of it and were saved by Izzy. Jonathan also took a souvenir, the diamond of the top of the pyramid in the size of a soccer ball.  
  
"With the death of the Scorpion King, the Army of Anubis went back to the underworld and the remaining demigods went back to their city, only to find it destroyed. The gods build a new city for them, similar to a giant temple complex. It was named after the Scorpion King's oasis, Ahm Shere, since the name represented new life. Ahm Shere was located on the Nile, but hidden from mortal eyes and especially protected from archeologists and robbers."  
  
While mom had told the story, I had used my comb to grow out my hair to my shoulders and then pinned back a few strands on the side back with it. With her telling the story, she distracted Apollo good enough that he didn't noticed when my hands went under my shirt and carefully unwound the bandages around my chest. When we came to Egypt, I didn't want to look like a boy. I could finally be who I was without having to pretend.  
  
I felt us pass through the ancient borders and felt a strange and disturbing feeling. The presence of my sea powers dimmed down, would be the most fitting- just not quite accurate description. At the same time, I felt the tiny spark of my grandmother's magic and my great-grandfather's knowledge-which was always there- intensified. I instantly felt the life in my heart, this sweet spark of life and I smiled softly. It was a new understanding of my grandmother's powers.  
  
We finally stopped at the outskirts of Alexandria and Apollo helped us with our bags. I tilted my head up and closed my eyes. It was hot and I enjoyed the heat on my face. Mom chuckled behind me and handed me a pair of sunglasses. I grinned as I put them on and then turned to Apollo. He looked surprised and I felt my face heat up but this time not from the sun. Why was he so surprised? I only had lengthened my hair and taken off my bandages.  
  
"You look good." He said smiling and I nervously pushed a few strands of hair behind my ear. "Sally, I think you have to keep an eye on her. The boys will be after her like a pack of dogs in heat."  
  
"Oh," Mom said, frowning. "I will tell my brothers. They will keep them away. My mother, stepfather and grandfather will do that too."  
  
"That's good," Apollo said and ruffled my now long hair. "Your escort to Ahm Shere should be here soon. I'm not that sure now. I don't have all of my powers." Just as he said it, a car pulled up to where we were standing and four people climbed out. It was three girls and a boy.  
  
Two of the girls were identical twins around twenty, both with brown hair and dark gray eyes, but one seemed more strict and regal, while the other seemed more playful. The other girl had wild blond hair to her shoulders with yellowish brown eyes and slitted pupils, she seemed to be about two years older than me. The boy was around twenty-five, too, tall and thin with shaggy brown hair and the same eyes as the blond girl, only with a more chestnut brown with a hint of yellow. All of them had weapons on them in various places, the blond girl used a whip as a decorative belt.  
  
"Buenos Días! Welcome to Egypt." The blond said with a... catlike grin. "Arrre you Sally and Perrrsia Jackson?" She spoke with a Spanish accent and she seemed to purr her 'r's.  
  
"My cue to leave!" Apollo said and after a wink and a promise to try to write or visit he hurried to leave the Egyptian borders.  
  
"Finally he's gone." The boy said with a Scottish accent. "I swearrr Jaíza, I don't like him!"  
  
"'ush, David", The blond said. "Or I'll tell Errrica you'rrre mean again." She then turned back at us and grinned her cat-grin.  
  
"It is nice to meet you." She said. "I'm Jaíza Día de la Santaña, daughter of Bast and morrrtal leaderrr of 'errr Warrrriorrrs. This is my 'alf brrrotherrr David Calvic. The strrict looking one frrrom the twins is Verrronica, or Rrrony, Andrrrews and the otherrr one is Corrrinna, or Corrry, Andrrrews. They arrre daughterrrs of Geb."  
  
"A pleasure to meet you." Mom said. "I'm Sally Jackson, this is my daughter Persia."  
  
"Come on in," Corinna said. "We will drive to Naukratis with the car-"  
  
"-and then we will board a boat until we reach Ahm Shere. It is located between Thebes and Tod, so that we have a connection to the mortal, modern Egypt." Veronica ended. "Well?" She mentioned us to get in the car.  
  
Smiling brightly I stepped in the car, knowing that my baby was going to be able to grow up in the safety of Ahm Shere. I didn't have to worry about it any more.


	4. Shopping

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit shorter than intended. 
> 
> Beta once again from my dearest Mrs. Kitsune on FF.Net
> 
> And I have a website and a trailer for the fic.  
> Link: http://suzakulordofsouthfanfictions.weebly.com/
> 
> Bold talking is speaking in Ancient Egyptian

Jaíza, David, Corinna and Veronica were a strange group.

David was the eldest and hopefully the one who could control Jaíza's careless tongue. He was a bit goofy at times and liked to joke around, but he also seemed to have a soft heart. Corinna told me about his girlfriend, Erica Varbox, a daughter of Nut. If he had to, David would go to the Duat, the underworld, and fight Apep, the evilest of the Egyptian gods and Eternal Enemy of Ra, if it would help and protect her in any way. He was also considered a honorable member of his mother's warriors.

Jaíza was the daughter of Bast who had lived in Ahm Shere since her birth, after her father died soon after she was conceived. Due to that upbringing, she had been one of the most experienced fighters in Ahm Shere at the age of fourteen, now she was eighteen. It was during this time that she took over the mortal command segment of the Warriors of Bast. She was strict and forced new Blessed of Bast to be in full control of their new abilities in no more than a week. Corinna said she was best described as a "slave driver". But, as David told me quietly, she had a huge soft spot for children and her two best friends, a daughter of Horus and the current head of the Hathor Line.

Corinna and Veronica were identical twin children of Geb, but their characters were quite different.

Corinna was a carefree soul and more open than her sister. She also loved pampering herself and others and could even be found just laying on the ground relaxing. But if needed, she could, and would, join her friends in battle.

Veronica on the other hand, was more quiet and strict, she also got into more fights. Since their father was the earth, it was not surprising that they had fists as hard as rocks. They both possessed a great strength and could not be pushed back.

On another note Jaíza teased them about their preference of black-haired girlfriends, with a cheeky grin towards me, but they were happy to assure me, that while I looked cute and had a good body - I don't think so but hey I take the compliment – they were perfectly fine sharing their girlfriend, who was-by the way-my mother's aunt. You gotta love those family relations.

They told me our exact route. Since I was a daughter of Poseidon, the four of them were a bit tense about that, and Zeus had always threatened to shoot me out of the sky unless I was riding a pegasus, I wasn't very fond of flying on a plane. That was the reason why we were driving to Naukratis, where we will be boarding a ship and then sail until we reached Ahm Shere. Veronica and Corinna liked sailing as much as I liked flying, but they were okay with it. It was worse at flying.

"We are daughters of the earth," Corinna had said shuddering. "We have a serious reason to keep our feet on the ground or as near as possible. Sailing is bad as well, but here we are safer. But don't ever bring us out on the ocean."

David and Jaíza had a slight aversion to water (it was actually aquaphobia but for their benefit I didn't say anything) – they were part cat after all – but they would manage. If I could travel again with them I would be getting a few flying lessons because of my flight fright with David's girlfriend. As a daughter of Nut she was an excellent pilot.

"Cat's like high places," Jaíza chuckled. "And dearrr David wishes to stay at the highest place of all, the sky. It hit him like a hammerrr on the head when he saw herrr flying. Orrr like this flying baby's arrrrow. Cupis orrr something." Cupid was roman if I'm not mistaken, so here we have the aggression again.

"How are the gods?" Sally said. "My mother? My stepfather? My brothers?" Osiris was very fond of his wife's halfblood children, since he himself could not father any ever since his brother had mummified him in that sarcophagus.

You see, a very long time ago Osiris' brother, Set, wanted to rule all of Egypt, so he thought of a plan. He held a party and brought with him a sarcophagus so beautiful that everyone present wished to have it. He said he would give it to the person who fit inside it. The guests tried it out, but it was made to fit Osiris. When he went to lay inside the box, Seth shut the lid, locked it, and took it away with him.

Isis went to search for her husband but Seth had dropped him into the Nile where he had drowned. Set then came back and took his body with him, to chop him into pieces and scatter him all over Egypt. In the following years Isis with her sister Nephthys traveled through the lands to gather the pieces of Osiris. They found all pieces but one, his penis. It had been dropped into the Nile and was eaten by a fish (which was the reason, why eating fish was forbidden for demigods and the people in Ancient Egypt. Gross.)

After reassembling her husband as the first mummy, Isis crafted a wooden penis and with the help of Thoth she revived him for just one day. This day she used and spend with him and only him. She conceived her son Horus this day.

After the day had passed, Osiris became dead again and became the King of the Underworld and the god of afterlife. He can not reside in the realm of the living for too long and as no life can be created in the realm of the dead he can't have half-blood children. And any of his time in Ahm Shere or in the mortal world is spend with Isis anyway.

"They are troubled about your arrival" Cory said and held her head in the wind as we drove. "It is the first time a Greek demigod has been granted entrance. They fear for the city after what happened during The Scorpion King's downfall. They lost enough lives, and Lord Anubis, Lord Osiris and Lady Maat were working overtime for years."

"Currently, Lady Isis and Lord Osiris are preparing your living arrangements." Rony said quietly and put her hair up in a military-like french-braid to have her hair away from her slightly sweaty forehead. "You will be given a house in the northern district, in one nearest to the temple of Lady Isis."

Ahm Shere was organized after the godly parents, similar to Camp Half-Blood, but here you can live with your mortal family, but many did not. The Line of Isis, the children of Isis and the legacies, also had a slight similarity to the Hermes Cabin. If a half-blood was brought there and was under the age of ten they were put into a family of the Isis-line and raised until they are ten. After that they move to their respective line.

"Lord Horus and Lord Anubis are awaiting you as well, but they had to mind their responsibilities as gods and will be delighted to meet you." Cory finished for her sister and smiled at her. "I also think that Lady Taweret will want to speak to you. It's about your pregnancy. She... she wants to make sure nothing happened during the fighting you told Lady Isis about."

"Okay." I said slightly worried, and brushed a hand over my flat stomach. I had been through many hardships during the war and I hadn't really thought about what my baby had had to go through. All that fighting. All the danger. I even... I stopped cold and paled drastically.

"Mom?" I asked worried. "Can... Can the baby be affected by taking a bath in the Styx?"

"I don't know" Mom said and looked at me. "We will have to wait for mother to examine you. I hope nothing happened." She drew me in her arms and Cory leaned over her seat, which was in front of me by the way, and took my hand in hers.

"Hey, don't worry." She smiled. "I'm sure your baby is fine. Just be optimistic."

"Thanks." I smiled back weakly and continued to ran a hand over my stomach.

I hope you're alright, little one.

* * *

It took a few days to reach Naukratis so we choose to sleep a night in a hotel to relax and then get a ship. As it seemed, in most of the cities knew the sign of a demigod – a golden necklace with a seal – so if you got to a car rental service you just had to show it and you got a car for free, which you then could bring to another service at your destination and just leave without paying. Though, most payed them or gave them a tip when they hadn't had enough.

That was the reason we had one of the most expensive rooms of the hotel and a ship organized to be boarded in the morning. Our group then went to the market. I had only a few feminine clothes and we wanted to get me a few more. I was a bit torn about dresses and skirts, because I always wanted to wear some, but I figured I would feel a bit uncomfortable since I'm not used to it.

Mom wanted to also look for some things for the baby, even if I was only in the third month. We had taken some old things from when I was a baby with us, but it was only a few pairs of clothes and one or two stuffed toys. While packing, Mom had discovered that Gabe had thrown out most of my old baby stuff that was still packed and stored away. If he wasn't already a statue I would love to kick his ugly ass.

Jaíza would go with us and show us where the best shops where and get something for herself. One of her best friends, the daughter of Hathor, had had a baby two years ago and she wanted to get something for the little one. A little boy.

On the other hand, David, Cory and Rony wanted to get some gifts for their lovers. They hadn't told us what they wanted to bring, but I felt a bit of envy. I would have loved to have a boy love me like that and bring me something back, even if it was a only a small thing like a bracelet or a T-shirt.

Our first stop was a stand where they sold clothes suited for warm temperatures. They were made from thin materials and shirts were embroidered on the collar and the seam and were loose, and much of the same only shorter for the pants. Mom and I just took a few pieces each. I took three black balloon pants, which ended a few inches under my knee, and about three different kaftan-styled shirts in two colors each. They were loose fitting and made out of thin material, so we wouldn't sweat more than we had to. We also bought two pairs each of ballet-flat like shoes, which were decorated with tiny pearl beads.

Jaíza showed us a shop which sold toys for children, made of fabric or wood. When we asked what she had in mind for her friend's kid, she held up a set of cute figurines to play with, about six inches tall, and styled like the hieroglyphic gods. I recognized Bast, Sekhmet, Thoth, Horus, Anubis, Isis, Osiris, Seth, Ra and Hathor. They were secured in a wooden box, and I smiled as I thought how the boy could play with them.

"I 'ave to rrremove the staffs and otherrr starrrp objects firrrst though." She said grinning, as she paid. I noticed that she had her demigod-pendant rested over her shirt and after a glance at it the merchant gave her a considerably cheaper price for the set than for a tourist who had bought one himself about twenty minutes before.

"It's so 'e can see not to trrreat us as tourrists. They always get overrrprrriced." She explained as she caught me looking. I just grinned back.

"Yeah, that might be true." I grinned. Then I whipped my head around and sniffed a bit. "Do you smell that?"

Jaíza turned into the same direction and smelled deeply, before making a face of disgust and groaning.

"It's one of 'is stands." She growled. "It's a chain of shops and stands all overrr Egypt. "The Embalmerrr's Scent" arrre selling perrrfumes, oils and things like that. Made by Anubis and 'is childrrren. They arrre verrry popularrr. The most wanted, and best ones, arrre the custom made ones."

"I think Anubis told me about that." Mom said thinking. "He said it's used to pay for things from outside of Ahm Shere. Food, exported things and anything the like. He was quite proud of all that. He also mentioned that Lord Ptah had stands and shops too, selling things he or his children crafted."

"Come, let's see who's selling them 'errre." Jaíza said before casually before taking a nasal spray and spraying it into her nose. Mom and I shared looks, before looking at her questioningly. Jaíza noticed our stares and grinned sheepishly.

"My nose is verrry sensitive." She explained. "The sprrray numbs it, since the odorrrs will be too strrrong forrr my nose. Come on." With a little spring in her step she walked towards the stand's direction and Mom and I followed her. With a small frown I pressed a hand on the skin of my upper arm and sighed as I felt the heat it was emitting and how dry it was. Great, now I also had sunburns.

I thought back at when Mom told me about things Anubis made as embalmer and remembered the bit about body balms. They were made just like the perfumes and body oils. It was used to moisturize the skin after bathing and to prevent sun burn, while making sure the skin got a beautiful golden tan. I wanted to buy all of it.

"Ah, Steven!" Jaíza called happily as we approached the stand where a brunet young man was showing a woman in her fifties a flagon of what must be perfume. He turned to us for a moment and then sighed deeply while rolling his eyes.

"One moment, Blondie." He called back before turning his gaze back to his customer with a charming smile. "This one would do well for you. It will accent your own scent perfectly and... serve your intended purpose brilliantly."

"Ohoho, my dear boy," the woman chuckled blushing and I had a sudden feeling I knew what she was intending. "You know me too well." Still blushing a bright red she paid for the perfume and Steve turned to us.

"Hello there, hairball." He said grinning and Jaíza hissed at him.

"'ello yourself, fleabag." She spat at him, but I had a feeling they were teasing each other.

"And hello to you two gorgeous ladies", he grinned at us. "How can I help you?"

"I'm Sally Jackson and this is my daughter Persia" Mom introduced us and lowered her voice. "I'm a daughter of Isis and granddaughter of Thoth."

"Ah" Steven grinned knowingly. "Nice to meet you, Auntie, cousin. I'm Steven Page, son of Anubis."

"Pleasure", I said and eyes the flagons on display. They were unlabeled, but placed in wooden boxes with the names on it. "Wow, that's a lot of scents." I said after taking a deep breath.

"Yeah, it's a bit much for one with a strong nose, like me and hairball, here", Steven said, nodding to Jaíza. "But you get used to it. I'm specialized in making them though. Most of my sisters are better at getting a person the best possible perfume of the non-custom-made ones."

"You 'ave some body oil 'ere?" Jaíza asked while rubbing her face around her nose. "Mine's empty and Corry and Rrrony 'ave extrrracts inside theirrr's that I'm allergic to. And David's is also a completely differrrent scent. Doesn't fit."

"Sure." Steven said and looked at us. "You want some too? I can give you scents with just a sprinkle of pheromone inside. They will be after you as if you're in heat." He sniffed a bit and blushed a bit. "On the other hand... better not. Given your condition... Sorry."

Now it was my turn to turn red. How did he...? He really...?

"Y-you can smell it?!" I asked and he smiled bashfully.

"Yeah, you're giving off pheromones, so I knew. Mortal's can't consciously smell it, they just register it sub-consciously and some can then just tell from that that you're pregnant. Congratulations, by the way."

"Thanks." I muttered dryly. "But can you give us some? I think I've gotten sunburn already."

"Sure thing." He said and looked behind the shop, shouting in ancient Egyptian to someone we couldn't see. " **Amélie, we've got customers! For custom ones, so watch the stand for me!** "

" **On my way!** " A voice shouted back and a few moments later a young woman stood in front of us. Her brown wavy hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail leaving a few bangs framing her face. She wore blue jean shorts, a red sleeveless shirt with the slogan: " _I'm not one of these girls you can play with. If you want one go buy a barbie!_ " on it and a pair of brown sandals. Around her wrist she wore golden bracelets, a necklace with the demigod-pendant around her neck and scarab-earrings made of a blue stones dangled from her ears.

" **I hope it will not take too long.** " She said rising her eyebrow. " **Bea is in town and we wanted to catch up.** "

" **You know how long it takes. I'll hurry, yes?** " Steven said. " **By the way, this are Sally Jackson, daughter of Isis and her daughter Persia.** "

" **Nice to meet you, Amélie** " Mom said smiling.

" **Amélie Galliard, it's a pleasure.** " She grinned. " **Now, off you go.** "

Steven lead us to a house not very far from the market and asked us inside. It was a lovely room, painted in warm cream colors and blue themed furniture. We went down to the basement and I gasped. Here the scents of extracts, blossoms and oils were even stronger than at the stand and I winced in sympathy for Jaíza. Without her nasal spray she would be in much pain.

"So, hairball, you first." He said and held his hand out. "I can give you a new flask and you get this one back next time."

Jaíza handed him a big red flask with golden decoration and he took a long big whiff out of it.

"Same as always?" He asked and at Jaíza's nod he started to gather extracts and oils from different positions around the room. Mom and I watched fascinated as he carefully began mixing them, but Jaíza looked bored. She seemed to have seen it many times, so she was used to it.

"Any preference on a solid or liquid form?" Steven asked Jaíza as he was carefully sloshing a glass jar with the mixture around.

"Liquid. It's easier that way, and it takes less time now." Jaíza said from where she had sat down to file her nails.

"Hmm" Steven made and concentrated on carefully filling a tall blueish flast with the now finished body oil.

"It will last for at least at least two weeks, less is you use too much." He commented as he gave her the flask and then turned to us.

"So, who first?" He asked and Mom stepped forward. "Okay, I will have to smell on every place of your body to get a good impression of your natural smell."

It was quite strange but fascinating as Steven started to smell on Moms skin. Her neck, armpits, elbows, wrists, the valley between her breasts – Mom turned beet-red at that -, Her stomach, between her legs – Mom turned even more red -, the small of her back and the backside of her knees. After that he stood there with his eyes closed and seemed to think. Then he slowly started to gather extracts and oils again and this time started to mix them slowly.

"I don't know if you know, but a perfume is a symphony of scents. It consists of the Headnote, which is the first impression of the scent and usually lasts only a few moments. Then the scent changes and becomes the Heartnote. It usually lasts a few hours. After that it changes to the Basenote which lingers for a few days." Steven started to explain and smiled. "But that is what the mortals know. There is a fourth note which is known only here in Egypt, the Crownnote. It gives the perfume the last step to perfection. Once archeologists opened a tomb and released the perfume's last lingering note, the Crownnote. They said that for one moment the whole world stopped."

I watched as he carefully measured the different extracts and oils to pour them in a great glass jar and mixed them with a glass stick.

"But that was because it had time to intensify. " Steven grinned and looked at Mom. "Do you want it in liquid form or hardened, Sally?"

"Liquid, please," Mom answered.

Steven nodded at that and carefully stirred in a yellowish oil until the perfume had doubled in volume. Humming proudly he took a flask decorated with flowers and carefully filled the mixture inside. When he had put in the stopper he held it up to the light and took a close look at it. He seemed happy with it.

With a grin he held it out to Mom and she took it from smiling, too.

"Thank you, Steven." She said.

Still grinning he turned to me and I stepped forward. He repeated the smelling process with me before he stood there again, eyes closed and thinking.

"Persia, your perfume is a bit tricky." He said slowly. "Your body is expelling huge amounts of pregnancy-pheromones. It's to ward of suitors other than the father. I have to fine-tune the perfume to either enhance the pheromones' effect or to suppress it. What do you want?"

"I'd like the suppression." I said and shuddered at the thought of everyone smelling my pregnancy. I mean, I have been a 'boy' for many years, so it was a bit anxious about such things. "In liquid-form, too."

"Okay, give me a few minutes." Steven said while walking through the shelves of oils and extracts. He took more time than he did with mom's. He would take a bottle from the shelve and think deeply. Sometimes he would put it back right away, take it to the next shelve or he would open a few bottle at one time and let the scent mingle before smelling on that. After around twenty minutes he had enough oils and began mixing them more carefully with the proportions. If he wasn't sure about the smell he would add drops of one scent with a pipette.

"Here you go!" Steven said, grinning while holding out the large flask out for me to take. It was made of a mixture of blue and sea green glass. On the bottoms were carvings of waves and sea shells.

"Thanks!" I said and took it.

"You're welcome." Steven said and then looked at Jaíza. "You paying?"

"Yeah." She said and gave him a few golden coins with Egyptian signs on both sides.

"Please come again!" He aid as we returned to the market.

"Let's rrreturrrn to ourrr hotel-rrroom." Jaíza said to us and we followed her.

"Bye!" Steven shouted after us. "Please come again!"

"Bye!" Mom, Jaíza and I shouted as one and continued to walk away.

* * *

**Beta's Note: *happy trilling noises***


	5. On the Waters of the Nile

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is NOT BETAd. Keep that in mind!

It was shortly before dawn that we boarded our ship. I was still a bit chilly, but it had already started warming up. Jaíza had explained, that we should start traveling before it got to hot in the sun and we would overheat. During that time we would go under deck or go swimming. We could swim in the Nile or in the great pool on deck.

 

The ship actually came from Ahm Shere to gather some goods and bring some things to demigods who didn’t live in Ahm Shere, like Steven or Amélie. The captain was a tall guy named Peter Edwards, a son of Sobek, the god of the Nile. He was tall, had brown hair, blue eyes and a deep tan. When we met at the dock, he hugged Jaíza, Veronica and Corinna, before fist bumping with David. Then he turned to mom and me.

 

“Morning.” He said with a southern drawl. “The name’s Pete. You two are the Jacksons, right? Sally and Percy?”

 

“Yes, good morning” Mom said. “I’m Sally Jackson, daughter of Isis, granddaughter of Thoth.”

 

“And I’m Persia, but you can call me Percy if you want.” I said and he flashed me a big grin. My face started heating up and I looked at my shoed. I wasn’t normally shy, but I wasn’t used to be treated like a girl, gods damn it.

 

“Well, then come aboard” Pete grinned showing rows of white teeth. Wait… were teeth supposed to be this pointy and sharp? Or so many? “You will have to pair up, there are two bunks in one room. Small, but tidy. Don’t leave anything on the ship unless you want Lenny to eh… play with it. He gets fed at regular hours, but at breakfast you can spoil him to your hearts content. We eat on deck, next to the pool and don’t be scared when Lenny swims next to you. He is well trained. And… eh, well that’s it, any questions?” He had lead up on deck, next to the pool, while he was speaking and hadn’t lost the smirk on his face.

 

“Lenny?” I asked, figuring he was some kind of pet.

 

Pete’s grin widened before he stepped next to the pool and placed a piece of raw meat, he got from a plate on the table, on the edge. A few seconds passed, before a freaking crocodile came out of the water. With that I mean, it rose up in the middle and slowly swam near Pete.

 

“Good boy” Pete coed and placed the meat in it’s opened mouth. He closed it slowly, it seemed, to not frighten us. He wasn’t even that big, about three feet long from head to tail-tip and he moved slowly towards me. A few moments passed as we stared at each other until he nudged my hand with his snout and pointedly looked at the plate with the meat.

 

“It’s breakfast time.” Pete grinned and handed me the plate. “Spoil him all you want. Sadly, I have to get us going or we are here until tonight. Enjoy the meal.” With that he grabbed a sandwich from one of the plates and left.

 

The rest of us looked after him until Lenny nudged at my hand againand looked at me with, what I would call, “hunger”.

 

“I’ll feed you, don’t worry Lenny”, I said and stepped out of my sandals to sit on the edge so I was up to my knees in the water. Lenny came nearer and laid his snout on my lap before opening his mouth expectingly.

 

I snorted at his impatience and fed him a bit meat. Mom watched as I patted his head before crouching at the edge of the pool and lightly patting him as well.

 

“Hello Lenny” She said. “I’m Sally and this is Persia.”

 

Lenny looked at Mom, but after a few moments he looked back at me and snuggled his snout more in my lap. Jaíza and David, who sat as far away from the pool as possible while still sitting at the table, snorted in the cream milk glasses they were drinking from at that. Cory and Rony nibbled sleepily on their bread.

 

“Good boy” I coed and Mom chuckled before she sat into the nearest chair. She made a few slices bread with blueberry jam and put them with fresh berries on a plate she gave me.

 

“Thanks, Mom” I said and ate a few of the blueberries while feeding Lenny at the same time. Cory and Rony each had a cup of black espresso in their hands and simultaneously drained them in one go. The moment the cup left their lips their heads flopped down so their foreheads connected with the table with a loud _thud_.

 

“Are they okay?” Mom asked worried and leaned over to Rony who sat next to her. But upon examining her closer she sighed in relief. From my position at the pool I could hear the faint snoring from Cory.

 

“Don’t worrrry” David purred. “They don’t like morrrnings. They’ll be up in about half an hourrr. That’s what the esprrresso was forrr. To kickstarrrt theirrr enerrrgy.”

 

“Okay…”Mom said skeptically and still looked slightly worried to the twins. “But on the other hand, can you tell us something about yourself? Where you are from or your family.” She said towards Jaíza and David.

 

“David and I were borrrn in Ahm Sherrre, since ourrr motherrr is Bast. My fatherrr came frrrom Mexico and was studying arrrcheology in Boston in Amerrrica when he met Mum. She liked him because he liked cats and took in everrry strrray he found.” Jaíza told us with misty eyes and ran her finger over the rim of her glass. “She rrreturrrned to Ahm Sherrre when she was prrregnant. Norrrmally the childrrren grrrow up with the morrrtal parrrent beforrre they, and sometimes the morrrtal parrrent as well, come to Ahm Sherrre. But my fatherrr had died beforrre I was even borrrn. He was shot durrring some kind of gang warrr. So I grrrew up in Ahm Sherrre. The rrreason I have an accent is because my grrrandmotherrr came to Ahm Sherrre to take carrre of me until I was old enough. I was the only family left forrr herrr and the only thing that rrreminded ‘errr of my fatherrr. She died of old age a few yearrrs back.”

 

David ran his hand over Jaíza’s back and muttered a few words in her ears so low I couldn’t hear them, but the blond sniffed a few times and rubbed over her eyes before going back to eating her breakfast.

 

“Well, afterrr I was borrrn I was send to my fatherrr and his family to Scotland. He’s a veterrrinarrrian. He was alrrready marrrried with childrrren when I was borrrn and therrre was anotherrr baby on the way. My stepmotherrr was not pleased to have me therrre. Not at all. My, how many werrre they again… 5? Anyway, my sisterrrs adorrred me, but durrring the yearrrs they starrrted to trrreat me differrrently, since theirrr motherrr influenced them. They called me abnorrrmal and weirrrd and well…” David told us. ” My stepmotherrr laterrr got a dog who was trrrained to hunt cats and that was the end of my stay. I prrrayed to mum to get me away and two days later the forrrmerrr morrrtal leaderrr of The Warriorrrs stood in frrront of ourrr doorrr telling me to pack and say my goodbyes. I was phew… eleven orrr so. The only one of my sisterrrs I’m still in contact with arrre the eldest, Donna, and the youngest, Rrrose. Rrrosie laterrr left and moved to London wherrre she met some doctorrr, orrr so, who she’s trrraveling and having adventurrres with. I think Donna has last discoverrred some kind of scandal concerrrning diet pills orrr something.”

 

“That’s horrible” Mom said. “Didn’t your father do something against your stepmother’s doings?”

 

“When I was a toddlerrr he didn’t notice anything. I mean I wasn’t planned, but he still loved me and trrried to give me a happy life, but looking afterrr six childrrren and yourrr wife while you worrrk, was too much forrr him. When I was olderrr he noticed it, but then I was alrrready too late to do anything about it. My sisterrrs had alrrready taken on herrr way of seeing me and Donna and Rrrosie couldn’t do much. And then I alrrready left.” David explained and pulled at the collar of his shirt. He seemed to prefer to wear dress shirts and suit pants, but in the heat he pushed the sleeves up to his elbows. “But anyway, tell us something about you, now. How was your life?”

 

“As you know, as a daughter of Isis I was conceived through Isis placing her essence into the womb of a barren woman. My father was Jared Jackson, a son of Thoth, who had chosen to live in the states, away from being a demigod. If I remember correctly, he worked as a literature professor. My mortal mother, Linda, accepted the second she got the offer to have a baby. They were very happy to have me. When I was five they were traveling to Florida for a short romantic weekend, but their plane crashed…” Mom said and sniffed lightly.

 

“I was still in New York with an uncle who then took me in. I went to school and I wanted to be a writer, but in my last year in High School, my uncle got sick and I dropped out to take care of him. He then died and I was left with nearly nothing. Then I met Percy’s father. I had never met someone like him, he was so gentle and sweet and he was ready to do anything for me should I ask. But I wanted to live my own life and not as some second wife he hides away. I didn’t tell him that Persia was a girl. I was too affright what might happen when his brother’s would find out. I married a mortal who I knew had such a repulsing stench it would cover up Persia’s scent from monsters and keep her safe. It went well for a few years, but this man… he hit me and I suspected he hit Persia as well, but I always thought it would keep her safe from monsters and with him not knowing she was a girl, he would not… think about…“ Mom swallowed thickly and looked at me with a sadness I haven’t seen often. “Then Persia found out what she was and I was taken hostage. As I was freed she gave me the head of Medusa to get rid of my husband. A few years later I met a man named Paul Blofis, who I fell in love with and married. This summer… the Greek gods were at war with Kronos who wanted to rise again and… Paul died in the last battle. Then we came here.”

 

“I never knew who my father was until I was twelve.” I started. “As mom told you, we lived with Smelly Gabe. In school I had been attacked by a fury, the torturers of the underworld. I was still being affected by the mist and experienced everything, from not knowing who our teacher was to trying to get information on the teacher the fury posed as, like a full time hallucination. It was horrible. I overheard my best friend, Grover, talking to our Latin teacher, Mr. Brunner, about some deadline that was connected to me. A few days later I was send home, knowing I could look for a different school for the following term.” I cast a look to mom, knowing that I hadn’t told anyone about this. Only Grover knew.

 

“Ehm… On the way to New York with the bus I saw three old ladies on the side at a fruit stand. Two were knitting and the last one was holding the basket of yarn and then took out a pair of shears and…” I said.

 

“Persia Andromeda Jackson” Mom interrupted me and I gulped. Oh-oh... Full name, Mom was angry. “Why did you not tell me you have seen the Fates?”

 

“Fates?” David asked confused. “Arrre they like Lady Hemsut?”

 

“The Fates, or Moirai, control the life of mortals. The moirai are Clotho, who spins the life thread, Lachesis, who measures the thread to each person, and Atropos, who cuts the threat when a person’s time has come and chooses the person’s manner of death.” Mom explained. “They are very much like Lady Hemsut. She weaves a life tapestry and cuts it when the life is at it’s end. But now, Persia Jackson, why did you not tell me?”

 

“Well, you see, mom…” I stuttered. “So much happened and I had nearly forgotten I had even seen them, until the end of the war and I realized that the thread I’ve seen was not mine, but… Luke’s… The threat had the color of your eyes and the one I saw with the Fates was blue.”

 

“Alright”, Mom said and sighed deeply. “There is a lot you haven’t told me, right?”

 

“Maybe?” I said. “Eh, where was I?... ah, They cut the threat and left, my friend Grover and I then reached New York and I ehm ditched him at the station. He was totally freaking me out, he was like _“Why does it always happen?”_ or _“Always sixth grade.”_ You can only take so much until you’re driven mad. I left while he had to go to the toilet. I went home and had to deal with Gabe before mom came home and we left. We went to our favorite beach, Montauk, when Grover found us and told us to leave. I then found out he is a satyr, half-man, half-goat. We drove to the camp for demigods, but-“

 

“Hang on, hang on”, Jaíza said holding up a hand. “A camp? They put you in a fucking camp? Arre they completely insane? How could you have any experrrience forrr the worrrld outside when you arrre on a quest? What of yourrr family?”

 

“You can decide if you stay at camp for the whole year, then you can go on a tour to meet the gods at the winter solstice, but you can also stay for the summer and then return to your family like a normal summer camp. There is a chance to go on a quest but it doesn’t happen often. I was different from others, since I went on about five quests so far, whether they wanted to have me on it, or not.” I explained. Jaíza still huffed and muttered something about “stupid Greeks.”

 

“You said that those who stay the whole yearrr can visit the gods. Do they not visit the “Camp”?” David asked.

 

“No”, I shook my head. “They are on Mount Olympus, which is, right now, above the Empire State Building. Many demigods haven’t even met their parent, or know who they are. The only one who is frequently at camp is Mr. D, which is Dionysus, the god of wine, who was made the camp manager as punishment.”

 

“That’s horrrrible!” Jaíza hissed. She sounded very much like a cat.

 

“Anyway, We drove to camp but the car was struck by lightning and then attacked by a monster, the Minotaur. He got mom and Hades, the god of the dead, teleported her to the underworld. I was so angry that I fought him and I broke off his horn and stabbed him with it. My first spoil of war. I think I even…” I trailed off and stood up from the pool after patting Lenny again, before I went to my bag and after looking through it I pulled out the Minotaur horn I got then. “… have it here.”

 

“Cool” Jaíza said and took the horn in her hands. “We haven’t got that many monsterrrs in Egypt who trrry to kill us. The last time therrre were many monsterrrs after us, was durrring the Scorrrpion King’s attack.”

 

“I was placed in the Hermes cabin. Everyone who doesn’t know who their godly parent is or whose parent has no own cabin, like minor gods or Hades. The campers weren’t happy, that I came. Another person to sleep there while they hadn’t had enough places to sleep for those who were already there. The cabin councilor was a boy named Luke Castellan. He was the kind guy girls dream about and develop a crush on. He was kind, charming and cared for the other campers. When I came and had no things he helped me and got me clothes. During that time I was kinda short and Luke went to get me a smaller shirt if they even had some. So I was changing in a room and had my shirt off when Luke came inside to give me the smaller one. Naturally I was embarrassed when I had to explained my situation to him and he promised not to tell anyone.”

 

“After being introduced and settled I was trained to defend myself from monsters and then went to fight in capture the flag, which is like a war situation, where two teams have to get the other teams flag. I was send to watch the borders, where I encountered the girl I didn’t like back then, Clarisse la Rue, a daughter of Ares, the god of war. We fought and I got strength from the creek I stood in. It was a distraction while the others got the flag and I defeated Clarisse. A hellhound attacked then. I was the one it attacked and Annabeth, a daughter of Athena, the goddess of wisdom, and my friend, told me to go in the water. I was healed there and my father claimed me.”

 

“Claimed?” Came a sleepy voice from Corinna. “What’cha mean?”

 

“Oh, good morning, slept well?” I grinned. “He showed the camp, and Olympus, that I am his child. It appears as a hologram above your head with the god or goddess’s sign. My father’s is a trident and for example Aphrodite, the goddess of love and beauty, has a dove and she “beautifies” her children. That stuff.”

 

“’k” Cory mumbled. “’s interestin’ to listen to you. I’ve been listenin’ you for a while, while I doze a bit.”

 

“Okay” I snorted. “But don’t start to snore.”

 

“’m not Rony.” Cory huffed.

 

“Heard that” Came it from Rony.

 

“You were meant to” Cory said and stuck out her tongue to her twin before settling her head back on her folded arms.

 

“Where was I?” I thought for I moment. “Oh, yes, he claimed me. I was moved to my father’s cabin and was pretty much alienated from the others. One night I was called to speak to Chiron, the trainer of heroes, a centaur. He told me that I had to go on a quest, because Zeus, the god of the sky and king of gods’, sign of power, the Master bold and I was accused to be the Thief.”

 

“I consulted the Oracle of Delphi, which was stuck in a mummy, to get a prophecy for my quest. I was to travel west to the underworld and return what was stolen. It also said that a friend would betray us and in the end we couldn’t save what “mattered most in the end”. We encountered furies while we were on a bus and lost our bags when it exploded. We came to a house, “Auntie Em’s Gnome Emperium” or something. Unfortunately we didn’t realize that “Auntie Em” stood for Medusa and we had to fight her. We cut of her head, which became a spoil of war and I became angry, since Athena and my father were the reason she was even able to turn people into stone. Eh, I might have send the head to Olympus and luckily I was still alive after that, not that I regret it. They should think before they curse someone.”

 

“Yourrr fatherrr” David said thinking. “Which god was he again? I forgot.”

 

“Poseidon, the god of the sea.” I answered.

 

“Okay, thanks.” David smiled.

 

“In Medusa’s lair we found the address to the Underworld and slept for the night. The next morning Grover had met some pink male poodle, poor Gladiola, who had run from home and was searched for a reward. He told Grover we could get the reward and continue to travel to Denver by train. On our way we stopped in St. Louis at some architectural Arch, or something that looked like a shopping bag handle, and Annabeth wanted to visit it. We were on our way out when I had to wait for the next elevator with a rich lady and her Chihuahua. They turned out to be Echidna and the Chimera. I fought them, but I got bitten and nearly dies from poisoning, when I jumped down the Arch into the Mississippi River. The nereid I met there told me to get to the ocean before we enter the Underworld. I met my friends again and we got on our train. We were quite hungry when we got of the train but we had no money left. But we still tried to get food."

 

„How exactly did you trrry to do that?“Jaíza purred. „Stealing, Dearrry?“

 

„N-no I-“ I blushed. „Eh, we were still trying to think of a way to pay, when a biker came and said he would pay. He turned out to be Ares. He payed, but asked us for a favor. We were to retrieve his shield, where he left it and couldn't get back. It was a trap, made by Hephaestus, the god of forges, since Aphrodite is his wife, while dating Ares. So we got his shield, and Aphrodite's scarf, Ares got us a ride in a truck of animal smugglers. We freed the poor animals, with Grover making sure they would reach safety, when we were in Las Vegas. We eh... got kind of captured in the Lotus Casino.“

 

„How old werrre you again?“ David asked and stared at me. „Do they even let childrrren in a casino? And how do you get capturrred in one, anyway?“

 

„We were offered snacks which drugged us to forget why we were there and inside we didn't age.“ I explained. „ It was like only a few hours had passed, while it had been fife days. We got a taxi and paid with the casino debit card, which it seemed had infinite money on it. After the comment, that he could keep the change if he got us there quickly, he hadn't taken his foot of the gas.“

 

„Uiii“ Jaíza purred. „My kind of driving.“

 

I snorted. „After that we went to the Santa Monica pier, where the Nereid was waiting for us. She gave us three pearls to escape the Underworld and warned us not to trust the gifts. We didn't know what she meant. We went further and met a guy named Procrustes, who called himself “Crusty”, since no one could pronounce Procrustes.”

 

“He is a son of Poseidon, by the way” Mom said and a winced.

 

“Really?” I asked and groaned when Mom nodded. How many did I fight who then happened to be my brothers? “Annabeth and Grover were strapped to the beds and stretched to fit his beds. I then tricked him into laying down on one bed and well... adjusted his large body to the smaller bed.”

 

“Oh?” David said in a questioning tone.

 

“Yeah” I said. “With a sword. Once Annabeth and Grover were freed we continued to the cover place of the Underworld, DOA Recording Studios.”

 

“When you're in Ahm Shere” Rony said sleepily. “Don't tell Eddy and Javi where the underworld is located. They'll send many prank gifts there and that won't end pretty.”

 

“Eddy and Javi?” Mom asked wondering who they were.

 

“Eduarrrdo and Javierrr Gonzales, twin-sons of Hatmehit. Prrranksterrrs thrrrough and thrrrough.” David laughed. “I rrremember when they prrranked mom using catnip. We werrre so sure she would rrrip theirrr heads of.”

 

“Oh, she trrried to” Jaíza commented. “It took Auntie Sekhmet , Lorrrd Horrrus and Lorrrd Anubis to hold her back.”

 

“Oh, you'rrre rrright” He chuckled. “I forrrgot.”

 

“To get into Hades' palace we had to bribe Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, with money. We gave him one of the debit cards, he has taken a liking in Italian suits. But the worst wasn't bribing Charon, that was distracting Cerberus, the tree headed dog, who guards the entrance. I never thought he would like the red ball Annabeth threw him.” Jaíza and David pulled a face. Their inner cat was showing through with the dislike of dogs.

 

“When we made it to the Fields of Asphodel, where most ghosts go who haven’t done anything relatively good or bad in life. It's really depressing. Like a concert without the band where no one is angry, just... sad. When we passed the path leading to Tartatus, the Greek version of the Duat, Grover was suddenly pulled to it. Luke had given me shoes he got from his father that can fly. The shoes pulled him to Tartarus.”

 

“He was pulled in the Duat?!” Cory’s and Rony’s heads snapped up as they shouted together. “Should we send someone to get him out of there?!” They clearly liked him, but that was nothing unexplainable. Their father, Geb, was after all the god of the earth and with that also the god of wild life in Egypt. They clearly cared little for the fact that Grover was Greek, for them he was just someone connected to wild places.

 

“Don’t worry” I assured them. “We grabbed him and kept him with us until the shoes slipped from his hooves.” Both twins relaxed again. “We then went to Hades’ palace. He made a beautiful garden for his wife, Persephone. When I confronted Hades of stealing the Master Bolt, he accused me of stealing his Helm of Darkness, his sign of power, and bringing the Bolt with us. Ares had given us a bag with Ambrosia, Nectar and Money, but when we left it in Lotus-Casino, it appeared with us again.”

 

“Magical” Jaíza purred. “I'm not surrre I would've thought him to be trrricky enough. He seems to lack the...brain, the tactical knowledge for such a move.”

 

“I know, right?” I grinned at her. “We realized we had been played by Ares of all people and my friends and I used the pearl to get out of the underworld. Because of this we had left mom behind and that was meant with the line “fail to save what matters most in the end” from the prophecy. In the ocean we were picked up by a Coast Guard boat. I had given Grover my shoes to Grover, since his hooves would raise to much questions. On the beach they dropped us off we met Ares who had the Helm of Darkness on him and I fought him. I managed to stab his foot and he tried to kill me, but something stopped him. He then left the beach and left the Helm of Darkness behind. We gave it to Hades' furies and tried to get to Olympus before the deadline was up. To do that we... well... We took a plane to New York.”

 

“Persia” Mom sighed. “You know that your uncle would strike the plane down.”

 

“Yes, but I figured he wouldn't do it when we had his Master Bolt. It was one of the most frightening experiences of my life” I said shuddering. “I was tense the whole time and was so scared Zeus would blast the plane out of the sky. Only when we had landed was I able to relax again. As fast as we could we went to the Empire State Building and took the elevator to the 600th floor. You have to get a special key to get there. I gave Zeus the key and talked to my father. It was a bit awkward at first and I was hurt when he said he was sorry I was born, for-”

 

“What?!” As one David, Jaíza, Cory and Rony hissed, the latter snapping up from their sleeping positions. Even Lenny made a hissing growling noise from his position in the pool.

 

“For bringing a hero's fate upon me” I continued without giving the others' reactions any mind. “That a hero's fate is tragic. He was sorry for giving me that. He told me Hades had set Mom free when we gave him the Helmet back and told me I had to make a decision. He would give me a package. Then he send me off and I went home to see mom. Gabe was there and told me he would call the police. Mom refused and I realized, when he raised his hand, that he had hit her before. I wanted to kill him then and there, but mom told me not to. I wouldn't have been able to do it with my sword anyway. We went to my room and talked about what to do. I didn't want mom to have to stay married to him to protect me. I already knew I was a demigod and I could protect myself now. The package dad spoke of appeared on my bed and I recognized it as Medusa's head I sent to Olympus. “Return to Sender” it said. I wanted so badly to slice it open and put it on the table with Gabe and his Poker-buddies. Mom didn't want me to solve her problems, just like she hadn't wanted dad to solve them. I left mom the package when I returned to camp. I was sure mom would use the head. And in the end she did.”

 

Mom embraced me and held me tight for a moment. “You did save me, Persia. You gave me the tools to build my own freedom.”

 

“You saved yourself, mom” I said. “I just helped you a tiny bit.”

 

“But to be honest...” Mom said and a slightly creepy smile crept on her face. I have never seen mom like this. “It was definitely... satisfying. Although I waited about two days until I was sure what to do with the statue.”

 

“I can't imagine” Jaíza purred and grinned. “You'rrre definitely a legacy of Thoth. Always thinking beforrre you do something like that.”

 

“Ehm where was I?” I said still grinning. “Ah, yes. I spend the rest of summer in camp. Training, socializing. The usual. Grover was given a searcher's license, which means he's allowed to search for Pan, the god of wild places and a satyr as well. It was his dream to be allowed and of finding him, although no satyr had ever returned. We celebrated the end of the summer and another year survived. Each camper gets a necklace with one clay bead for each survived year.” I pulled the necklace from my collar and showed them the black bead with the sea-green trident. “This was my first bead. The image represents the most notable thing happening. As you see, the trident stands for me and my claiming.”

 

“A bit in the forest I met Luke.” I said and swallowed. It felt heavy to talk about his betrayal and to remember what I felt. “We talked a bit and it felt better than before, since I didn't have to pretend to be a girl in front of him. But then... we talked about quests and if I missed it. I did, and asked him if he did. He was different then. Bitterer and angrier. He had a sword with him, made from Celestial Bronze and tempered steel, to work on both mortals and immortals.”

 

“We have such things as well” Veronica said slowly and rubbed on her cheek. The color – concealer, I realized - came off and revealed a tattoo. After a few moments I recognized the hieroglyphics as “Maat” - truth. Mom had once told me about the different tattoos that were sometimes used to signify someone’s status. “I'm one of the Medjai but I sometimes help Cory during missions. But the Medjai's responsibilities are to protect hidden artifacts or places from mortals. Sometimes we have to take drastic measures. Before the O'Connalls revived Imhotep in Hamunaptra the Medjai fought bloody to keep Hamunaptra hidden.”

 

“I see...” I said slowly. “Ehm... He said he was leaving and summoned a Pit Scorpion. I didn't move and remembered the third line of the prophecy. “You shall be betrayed by one who calls you a friend” and I realized that it had been Luke. It... there had never been someone apart from mom who I really could talk to as a girl and it hurt. It hurt that he betrayed us, that the first person I trusted with my secret was not who I thought he was. He used his sword to disappear and caused the scorpion to lurch at me. I swatted it away to got my sword and cut it in half. But while I swatted it away it stung my hand. I tried to get back to camp to get treated. I don't really remember because of the venom, but I think I managed to get to the pavilion and was found and rushed to the infirmary. They were able to save my life, but it was a close one. Annabeth said she would go home for the year, when I was reluctant to leave her alone with only Clarisse as company. She had written her family and wanted to try it again with them. I returned to Mom and we moved to a different apartment.”

 

“Wow” Cory said.

 

“You did all this at twelve?” Rony asked shocked. I blushed slightly and nodded.

 

“Not many go to the Land of the Dead and come out to tell a tale.” David said. “I hope that this was the most dangerous thing to happen to you.” Mom smiled sadly and looked at me. I could see that she was hurt by what had happened to me and that I had to fight.

 

“Unfortunately not.” I sighed. “You see...”

 

 

I told them all what happened to me in camp and on the quests. My adventures in the Sea of monsters, the retrieval of the Golden Fleece and Talia's release from being a tree. Gover finding Nico and Bianca di Angelo, Annabeth's capture and my demigod dreams of Annabeth and then Artemis holding up the sky. The quest to save them and Bianca's death. How I took up the sky and how Artemis trapped Atlas again. How Zoe died and became the Huntress-constellation. Of Talia becoming a Hunter and Artemis' new lieutenant. Talking to Nico and finding out who his parent was.

 

The appearance of Quintus and Mrs. O'Leary the following year and finding the Labyrinth. Meeting Hephaestus and causing the eruption of Mount St. Helens. Waking up on Ogygia with Calypso, who found out I was a girl when she changed my clothes. My decision to return and her giving me moonlace. Finding Rachel again and going back to the Labyrinth. Fighting Antaeus and escaping using Daedalus' wings. Kronos' resurrection and finding Pan, returning to camp and the following battle. My fifteenth Birthday and Nico's idea.

 

The following constant missions and war. My single night out and being found by Kronos. A month later exploding the Princess Andromeda and arriving in Poseidon's palace, meeting Amphitrite and Triton for the first time. Returning to Camp, the war-council, the Ares cabin refusing to help, and hearing the Great Prophecy. Searching for a way to defeat Kronos and finding out about Luke's Achilles-Curse, then venturing to the Underworld after getting Mom's blessing and being captured by Hades. Of being freed by Nico and bathing in the Styx, fighting Hades and winning. The Battle of Manhattan, while the mortal were fast asleep, thanks to Morpheus, and nearly being stabbed in my mortal spot. Getting Pandora's pithos from Prometheus and further fighting. The Drakon, with Silena appearing disguised as Clarisse, and finding out she was the spy. Returning to Olympus and convincing dad, Poseidon, to help. Then the final battle and finally Luke's death. How I gave Luke my Ankh-pendant to aid him in the afterlife and made my wish to the gods. About Helena, Paul's death and how we found out I was pregnant and had to flee.

 

When I had finished my tale, the others were thoughtful. In Ahm Shere it wasn't done to send a demigod under at least fourteen out in the world, even then with older demigods until they were eighteen, unless it were extreme war times and no older one could be taken from their post. The Warriors of Bast, as well as the Medjai, were taking no one into their ranks who was not fourteen, unless in war time or the demigod showed extreme potential, like Sascha, a daughter of Sekhmet. She had her initiation a year ago after she had turned thirteen.

 

Jaíza told me she had been a Warrior of Bast since she turned fourteen. She had trained with them since she could walk, but she had only joined officially on her birthday. A year ago when the last mortal leader, Sheila Walsh, decided to retire and have a family, she had Jaíza trained to the point that she was as good as she was, only lacking experience. Sheila still helped with the training and mission assignment, as much as she could, considering she was seven months pregnant.

 

David told us that we would be introduced to them at the feast. We would reach Ahm Shere in about two days in the evening and be right on time for the weekly Great Feast. In Ahm Shere the families ate together breakfast and lunch and in the evening had dinner with their godly parent. Once a week all demigods, legacies and families would come together and eat and party. Cory and Rony had told me – laughing hysterically – that David never touched the alcohol, which was pulled out once the minors were in bed, because of an embarrassing incident involving a blond curly wig, a black outfit - tight top, short skirt and high-heeled shoes - and karaoke. Apparently Javier and Eduardo had used his drunken state to their own amusement, although they swore rather loudly to never, ever do something like that again, after the chase David gave them. Leg waxing may have also been involved in the incident.

 

 

* * *

 

 

The rest of the journey was rather uneventful. David took a nap during midday, since he planned on taking night watch. During the night Pete anchored the ship so he himself could get some sleep and talk a bit to us. He said that he would stir the ship on only a few hours sleep, but then he would crash and sleep longer than usual. It was his usual plan when he did his tour from Ahm Shere to any of the other cities, since he didn't want to take any chances for an attack.

 

Cory and Rony told me a bit about their growing up. Their mother was a gardener and nature activist and tried what she could to save the rainforest in Brazil. During a conference in Africa, she met Geb and spend a night with him, which resulted in the twins. At first their mother was not sure what to expect of do, especially after seeing her five-year old daughter – Rony – slap a boy's nose so hard she broke it. After that she tried to contact her lover to ask for help. He came and explained a few things to her. Their mother then moved to Ahm Shere to give her children the best education she could, while still trying to save nature.

 

Jaíza, Corinna, Veronica, Mom and me had a sleepover and Jaí turned out to have her own little gossip/info-network. She said it was a tradition for the mortal leaders of the Warriors of Bast – Warriors, for short – to get their information, gossip and occasional blackmail through this source. She then proceeded to tease Cory and Rony about their cute relationship with their girlfriend to what they snarled at her to finally shag a certain son of Anubis, who I know by the way.

 

Seeing her red face I started laughing and felt happier than I had in a long while. For the first time in my life I felt like a normal ordinary girl simply having fun with her friends.

 

 


End file.
